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E. B. HESS AND L. C. MYERS.

RIBBON GUIDE FOR TYPEWRITING MACHINES.

Patented May 30, 1922.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

APPLICATION FILED MAYZY, I22].

E. B. HESS AND L. C. MYERS. RIBBON GUIDE FOR TYPEWRITING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 27. I921. 1,417,909. Patented May 30, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- Lewis fldlgcr's W "their UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD BERNARD HESS AND LEWIS CARY MYERS, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS TO ROYAL TYPERVRITER COMPANY, INC., OF NEW YORK, N, Y.

RIBBON GUIDE FOR TYIEWR-ITING MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 30, 1922.

Original application filed January 13, 1921, Serial No. 436,924. Divided and this application filed May 27, 1921. Serial No. 473,171.

To (ZZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EDWARD BERNARD Hess and Lnwrs CARY Mruns, both citizens of the United States, residing in Brooklyn, county of Kings, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ribbon Guides for Typewriting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This application is a division of our application for patent filed January 13, 1921, No. 436,924.

The invention herein claimed relates to ribbon guides for visible front strike typewriting machines, in which the ribbon is passed from spool to spool through a guide which supports the ribbon as it passes the printing point. The invention particularly relates to that class of ribbon guides known as vibrators which are reciproeatcd vertically in order to distribute the wear on the ribbon.

According to this invention, the guide is given a novel shape by means of which the ribbon is prevented from twisting, curling, lapping. or becoming otherwise distorted, and the invention also comprises improved means for guiding the ribbon from the spools to the guide or vibrator.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of the preferred form of ribbon guide or vibrator, and shows how the ribbon is directed from the ribbon spools to the vibrator.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the devices shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view on an enlarged scale and in section on the line 3-3 of Figure l of mechanism shown in Figures '1. and 2, and illustrates in section some features of this mechanism.

Figure 4 is a view in section on the line el4l of Figure Figure 5 is a front view of the preferred form of ribbon guide or vibrator.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a modified form of vibrator.

The ribbon A is conveyed from the spools B and the guides C, D to the ribbon guide or vibrator G which is preferably operated to reciprocate vertically in order that the wear on the ribbon may be distributed. The ribbon guide, or vibrator as it is generally called, and will be hereinafter generally so called, is preferably of the kind shown in Figures 1-5, inclusive, and it is supported by a type bar guide F, which latter is secured to the type bar segment E. This type bar guide has a base portion 7' attached to the segment and a front portion 7'' which extends from the base forwardly and then upwardly in front of the platen and at the top is formed with a bifurcated type guide portion f The vibrator G has an upper guide part and a downwardly extending leg G which is bent and extended rearwardly and then downwardly as shown in Figure 3 where it is connected with an operating lever H actuated in any suitable way. The vibrator G is formed with lips g which engage the type bar guide in such manner that the vibrator is properly held and guided as it reciprocates or vibrates. The upper part of the vibrator is obliquely arranged relatively to the platen X and it is bifurcated as indicated at g to receive the type and allow them to act on the ribbon. On the opposite sides of the bifurcation, ribbon guiding openings or slots i1, 71. are formed, the inner parts of the guide being straight and flat. The upper parts or lingers Zz, Zr are parallel and in the same plane withthe parts i, but the lower parts or fingers Z, Z are in vertical planes outside the planes of the fingers k, 1: and are inclined forwardly and upwardly and their extreme upper ends are turned backward and are rounded. There are spaces on between the fingers for insertion of the ribbon and the fingers Z, Z are in a vertical plane outside of or in front of the vertical plane of the lingers 7c, and c, and laterally to one side thereof. The effect of this construction is illustrated in Figures 'l5, inclusive. The ribbon as it goes from the guide post C, for instance, passes across the upper curved end of the finger Z and then through the opening it, across the inner wall of this opening, and in contact with the rear sides of the middle portions 2' of the guide, and then across the edge of the inner wall of the opening it, next through said opening and around and in front of the upper curved edge of the finger Z.

As will be observed by reference to Fi 3, the ribbon A rises as it leaves the gui e post C and as it approaches the vibrator. Without some special provision in the vibrator for preventing it, the ribbon would twist, curve, lap or otherwise become distorted, but by the special construction above described this twisting or distorting of the ribbon is prevented. The finger Z makes contact with that portion of the ribbon where it tends to twist and holds it ina fiat condition as it enters the vibrator. The behavior of. the ribbon and its guide is the same on opposite sides ofthe device whichever way the ribbon is moving. Unless the lower front fingers be extended forwardly as shown, the ribbon when chang ing from an upwardly inclined direction to a straight transverse directbn would bend near the vibrator and turn the lower part ofthe ribbon rearward. The fingers Z, Z prevent the lower portion of the ribbon from being thus turned baclnvard and correct thistendency and causes it to be di rec ted through the vibrator in a straight, even path. Asthe ribbon passes through the vibrator it makes contact with the outer walls-of the openings 72,, h which are in ad'- vance of or in a planein front of the inner walls ofthese openings, andthus the tendency of the ribbon to twist, lap, or.curl is corrected. The high points at the upper ends of the fingers Z, Z over which :the ribbon passes serve to keep the ribbon taut, as well as flat against the flat backface of the vibrator, thusinsuring a clear printing impression of the type and preventing interference with some of the workingparts whichmight oc cur ifthe ribbon were permitted to buckle behind the vibrator.

Itwill be observed that theinner edges of the lower fingers Z, Z are .furtherdistant fromtheinner walls of the openings 7:, 7t than the inner edges of the upper fingers, the fingers Z, Z being indifferent vertical planes. This also contributes'to the proper guiding of the ribbon.

It is .not essential that the lower fingers should be in vertical planesto the side of the upper fingers, as the device also operates efliciently when the lower fingers are in the same vertical planes, transverse to the axis of the platen, butthe upper or-outer ends of the lower fingers should be disposed in front of the upper fingers.

Figure 6 shows another .form of vibrator.

.In this case both the upper and lower guide fingers are in the same plane with ach other, but are all set at an angle to the oblique plane of the body of-the vibrator.

In this case, the ribbon from the guide post C passes over or 111 front ofthe upper and lower guide fingers n, n, then through the opening 0 behind the middle parts 7 then through the opening g, and then in front-of the fingers r, s. This construction also servesin ameasure to properly change the direction of theribbon from an upwardly inclined :to a straight :across path and to correct the tendency of the ribbon to twist or buckle, but the construction shown in Figures 1-5, inclusive, is preferred, as experience has demonstrated that such latter constructionoperates more efficiently. In the construction shown in Figure 6, the fin gers are held in the forwardly inclined position by means of webs t.

In order to prevent-the ribbon-from -mov ing upwards on the posts of the ribbon spool, said posts are formed with heads (Z which are tapered or c oned on their under sides. These posts are preferably mounted to revolve, and are, therefore, in eiiectribbon guiding rollers. The ribbon spools 1) may beoperated in any suitable way. The posts band 0 of these spools are supported in brackets V, W, as shown in Figure l. The post 2') may be geared as shownvat Z) with a worm shaft D which is adapted also to engage a toothed wheel 0' on a shaft C which is geared as shown at 0 ,withthe ribbon spool post 0. The mechanism for operating the spools is more fully shown and described in our application for patent above mentioned.

The'vibrators shown in the drawings are so constructed as-to roperly guidethe ribbon andprevent it from twisting or buckling when operating on either theupperor lower portion thereof. The ribbon ismade to-pass through the vibrator smoothly and evenly and to be properly wound on :the ribbon spools.

l Ve claim as our invention:

1. A vibrator for typewriting machines having a body portion, ribbon-guiding portions for the upper portion of the ribbon, and separate ribbon-guiding. portions for the lower portion of the ribbon arranged in transverse vertical planes outside the upper ribbon-guiding portions and extending forwardly. therefrom.

2. A vibrator for typewriting machines having a body portion, ribbon guiding fingers extending forwardly and upwardly from the lower portion thereof and engaging'thc lower part of the ribbon in front of the body portion, and separate fingerslying in the plane ofrthe body portion and engaging the upper portion of the ribbon.

3. A vibrator for typewriting machines comprising abifurcated body portion, ribbon-guiding fingers extending from the upper portion of the body portion, and ribbonguiding fingers extending forwardly from the lower portion-of the vibrator and arranged in planes outside the plane of the upper ribbon-guiding portions.

4. A vibrator for typewriting machines comprising a bifurcated body portion formed with ribbon-receiving openings :on opposite sides ofthe body portion having straight, parallel inner walls. ribbon guiding fingers at the upperpart ofthe vi-bratorarranged in the same plane with the body portion, and ribbon-guiding fingers for the lower portion of the ribbon extending forwardly from the body of the vibrator and arranged outside the vertical planes of the upper fingers.

5. A vibrator for typewriting machines having a body portion, ribbon-guiding fingers extending forwardly and upwardly from the lower portion of the body and engaging the ribbon in front of the body portion of the vibrator and separate fingers lying in the plane of the body portion and engaging the upper portion of the ribbon, in combination with ribbon-spools arranged below the line of print, and guides for the ribbon also arranged below the line of print.

6. A vibrator having a body portion with a middle opening to receive the type, side portions having openings through which the ribbon extends from the front, the outer wall of each of said openings being further from the inner wall thereof at the lower part of said opening than at the upper part thereof, and said side portions havlng side openings through which the ribbon is threaded.

7. A vibrator for typewrit-ing machines having a body portion, upper ribbon-guiding fingers for the upper portion of the ribbon, and lower ribbon-guiding fingers for the lower portion of the ribbon lying forward and outside of the upper fingers, all of said parts being integral.

8. A vibrator for typewriting machines having a body portion, upper ribbon-guiding fingers for the upper portion of the ribbon, and lower ribbon-guiding fingers for the lower portion of the ribbon lying forward and outside of the upper fingers.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto 40 subscribed our names.

EDWARD BERNARD HESS. LEWIS CARY MYERS. 

